Pedal to the metal

“Kol Yisrael arevim zeh la’zeh”– All of Israel are responsible one for another

In the United States the collective “we” sat by as the enemy came to our shores; the collective “we” advocated for them to come here. The collective “we” convinced ourselves that it was different here in America, and that the enemy would not act like the enemy because they were becoming Americanized. We convinced ourselves that the experience here would be different from what we had witnessed unfolding in Europe during the ’90s, 2000s and beyond. The collective “we” are responsible for this, and it is the collective “we” who must emerge victorious at the end of it.

No one can overstates the significance of Israel’s military success, but it is only a part of
the equation. The fight is no longer just military; it is cultural, ideological, and it’s
pervasive. We cannot afford to be complacent. Israel’s military victory should not lull us
into a false sense of security. Israel is emerging victorious in the war between Hamas
and Hezbollah, but this war is far from over. There are many fronts to this war including
a key battleground for the Minds and hearts of ordinary people in the United States and
beyond. What we’re witnessing now is not the end but the continuation of a new phase
in what can be described as the war for public opinion. This war extends beyond the
battlefield, infiltrating campuses, social media platforms, common culture and daily
conversations in cafés across the Western world. What was once relegated to a
problem in academia has now spread across the country. The campus has become the
country! The same rhetoric that once thrived on college campuses is now being echoed
across the country through social media and by enemy activists wherever they live.
An unintended consequences of the virulent antisemitism has led to a major
recalibration among 10s of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of people in the
United States both Jewish and non-Jewish. Otherwise progressive and unaffiliated
people have seen the utter intellectual dishonesty among people they considered to be
their friends and this has caused a major reaction. This new understanding ought to be
incubated in order to maximize the impact of our response. There is a new found energy
that has been unleashed. We must put the pedal to the metal and not let up until we
are able to affect the narrative so it is more balanced and truthful. Keep posting, keep
responding, keep sharing, keep defending and make sure you vote for candidates that
will best defend truth and balance.

Israel’s military campaign has significantly weakened its adversaries. Hamas, once a
well-organized terror army, has now been reduced to a group of guerrilla terrorists. A demilitarized zone in Gaza is being established, which will ensure that another attack
like the one on October 7 never happens again. Israel’s control over the border with
Egypt will further isolate Gaza, preventing rearmament and future attacks.
Similarly, Hezbollah has suffered a major defeat. The entire command structure has
been decimated, and battlefield reports indicate that many of Hezbollah’s fighters are
fleeing to Syria and that many are being defeated on the battlefield. Israel is on the
verge of creating another demilitarized zone in southern Lebanon, protecting northern
Israel from future missile threats and a repeat of an October 7th style attack.
Iran, the key supporter of these groups, finds itself with limited options for retaliating
against Israel and this presents an opportunity for Israel to capitalize on its adversary’s
weakness. All signs indicate that Israel will deliver a powerful blow to Iran in the coming
weeks.

The war is far from over and the battle for Minds and hearts in the West is just
beginning, and its outcome will determine the course of future conflicts. This is not a war
that can be won overnight; it will take years, possibly decades, to truly understand the
long-term consequences of the cultural and ideological struggle we now face. The
Israeli military has done the hard work on the ground, but it is up to us to continue the
fight here in the West. We must reorganize our efforts, community organize, and
strategically engage in the conversations happening on social media. This is where the
real influence lies, and this is where we can shape the future. There is no substitute for
the “The power of people.” Let’s not take our foot off the gas. We the Jewish people are
responsible one for the other. The enemy is here, and the fight is ours to win.